Can't Get Enough
by Yer Majesty
Summary: Elisabeth said she's had it with wobblylegged, rumsoaked pirates. I just can't get enough. Takes place during Dead Man's Chest.
1. An Old Friend and New Discoveries

Can't Get Enough  
Chapter One: An Old Friend and New Discoveries

* * *

I had been aboard the _Black Pearl_ almost a month before I was discovered. I stayed below deck, in a storage room filled with shelves and cubby holes. A few held aged bottles of rum, while most were empty. I ate by sneaking into the galley at night, after the crew had settled down to sleep, and stole what little I could find. It wasn't much but it was enough to sustain me. 

I had just returned from my latest excursion, a piece of bread clutched in one hand, apple in the other when I heard it. Footsteps. I had barely flattend myself into the corner I had claimed as my own when two boot clad feet came into view. I knew those boots. A pair of slender legs were next, followed by a toned stomach, broad shoulders, and a handsome face, framed by long black hair, a red bandana setting on top. Captain Jack Sparrow. The most sought after pirate in the Spanish main.

I knew all of his stories. From his days as Captain of the _Black Pearl_; the betrayal of his first mate, Barbossa; escaping after being marrooned on an island by said mutionous first mate (a pair of sea turles strapped to his feet, they say); his kidnapping of the goveners daughter at Port Royal (only for a short bit to escape the Royal Navy) to his commendering of a Navy ship after escaping ths clutches of said Royal Navy, and finally the battle between him and his old crew which happened to all be undead after being cursed by Aztec gold after betraying him. Serves 'em right, I say.

There were plenty more stories I'm sure, I just havn't came across anyone who would tell them to me. He stepped further into the storage room, a lantern held in his left hand barely lit, giving off random flicks of light. I briefly wondered what he was doing down here, as he and the crew seemed to avoid this room. It was why I chose it.

He walked towards the shelves, the light almost catching me, his gaze searching. I wasn't exactly sure what it was he was after, it wasn't as if this room was full of the most desirable substances.

"Why is the rum always gone?" Ah, rum. I should have known.

He raised the lantern higher, as if willing it to give him more light, and he smiled as he found an occupied cubby. Witch a soft exclamation of happiness, he reached down and grabbed the bottle he had spotted, his smile fading as he tipped it, only to have sand pour onto the floor instead of his beloved drink.

"Times run out, Jack."

The grovelly voice was unexpected to both of us, and I jumped as the bottle slipped from his fingers, shattering on the floor. He raised the lantern higher as walked towards a darkened corner, the glass crunching under his boots. The soft glow from the lantern threw out a sliver of light revealing a man's figure slouched down, sea water dripping off of him.

"Bootstrap. Bill Turner."

"You look good, Jack." A pool of seawater came from his mouth as he spoke, but Jack said nothing, just bringing the lantern closer to the figure, and I gasped as I saw him. He looked almost inhuman, with what looked like bits of coral melding into his cheek. The smile slipped from his face and for a moment I thought I had revealed myself.

His eyes stayed glued to Jack, and I relaxed a bit, knowing I was still safe. Jack however, straightened, up, a weird look on hs face. "Is this a dream?"

"No."

"I thought not. If it were, ther'ed be rum." He set the lantern on a barrel, and Bill held out his arm, a bottle in his hand, his bones cracking as he did.

"You got the _Pearl_ back, I see."

He took the offered drink, brushing off bits of shell that had been stuck to it from his old friends hand. "I had some help retrieving the _Pearl_, by the way." He examined the bottle, and seemingly satisified, took a drink. "Your son."

"William?" Bill looked down sadly, speaking so low, I almost didn't catch it. " He ended up a pirate after all."

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your carbuncle?"

"He sent me."

Jack's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Davy Jones."

"Oh. So it's you, then." He set down on a barrel, his back leaning against a pole. "He shanghaied you into service, eh?" He sounded casual as he said it, as if he wasn't worried, but a slight tilt in his voice gave him away.

"I chose it. I'm sorry for the part I played in the mutiny against you, Jack" A sea snail scurried its way past Bill, and his hand shot out, catching it. "I stood up for you. Everything went wrong after that." He examined te snail, and after a moment, shrugged, popping it into his mouth. "They strapped me to a cannon. I ended up on the bottom of the ocean, the weight of the water cruching down on me."

Jack took another swig, a strange look on his face. Was it pity, maybe? I couldn't tell.

"Unable to move. Unable to die, Jack. And I thought that even the tiniest hope of escaping this fate, I would take it." The strange look had never laft Jack's face, and he offered the bottle back to his old friend, saying nothing. "I would trade anything for it." He accepted the bottle, easily downing the rest of it.

"You didn't have to stand up for me, Bill. You should have known what they would do."

"What would be the honor in that?"

"Probably the same as if you never participated in the first place." Jack stood up, ignoring the look of shame thast passed over Bill's face. "It's funnny what a man will do to forestall his final judgment." He walked around the pole, reeling back as bit as Bill got up and met him around the other side.

"You made a deal with him too, Jack. He raised the _Pearl_ from the depths for you." He took a step foward, and Jack retaliated by taking a step back. "13 years, you've been her captain."

"Technically..."

"Jack. You wont be able to talk yourself out of this." Another step. "The terms what applied to me apply to you as well. One soul bound to crew 100 years upon his ship."

"The _Flyinf Dutchman_ already has a captain, so theres really no--"

"Then it's the locker for you! Jones's terrible leviathan will find you and drag the _Pearl_ back to the depths and you along with it."

I gasped, the apple slipping out of my hand, and I watched in horror as it rolled towards the pair. 'Please don't hit him, please don't hit him, please don't--crap.' It hit him.

Whatever Jack was about to say was cut off as he looked down as the apple made a soft 'thunk' against his boot. He bent down and picked it up, both he and Bill examining it as if it was unusual to have an apple rolling to your feet when your below deck on a pirate ship. Ok, so maybe it was, but still.

He handed it to Bill, who shrugged and took a bite, watching as Jack took his pistol from his belt, pulling back the hammer. "It seems as if we have an audience with us."

Bill said nothing, taking another bite from my apple, silently pointing towards my corner. "It came from over there."

I tried to press myself further back as Jack came closer, the echo of his boots sounding like thunder in my ears. It was useless. I squeaked as his hand shot out, grabbing the front of my shirt, pulling me into view. "Well, this is surprising."

His eyes roved over me, a leecherous grin coming onto his face. Normally I would love this, after all, it was Captain Jack Sparrow, but at the moment, it just seemed to piss me off. Strange. I ripped my shirt from his grip, smoothing it out as I stepped back, glaring my worst. He just laughed. Bastard.

"And what would a lovely thing like you be doing on my ship?" He uncocked the pistol, shoving it back into the waistband of his pants. He glanced over at Bill, who was finishing off my apple, the one I had worked so hard to steal. "Is she yours?" He plucked the piece of bread from my hand, inspecting it before he handed it to Bill.

"I belong to nobody!" I snatched it back from Bill's hand, clutching it to my chest. I lost my apple to him, I'd be damned if he got my bread too!

They both just laughed, relaxing their stances. "She's got spirit, Jack."

"Aye, she does."

"Harmless, by the looks of it."

They laughed again as I straightened angerily, bringing myself to my full 5'3" height. This seemed to amuse them even more, and I huffed, tearing off a piece of bread.

"And what be your name, missy?"

I hesitated only a second. It wasn't as if I could get away without telling him anything anyway. "Amelia."

"I met a whore by that name once. Sassy little thing."

"I assure you, I am no whore Captain Sparrow."

"She knows my name." He turned towards BIll with an almost proud look, and his old first mate just shook his head.

"Remember what I said, Jack."

"Ah, yes. Davy Jone's terrible leviathan. Any idea when Jones might release said terrible beastie?"

"I already told you, Jack. Your time is up." He grabbed his old captains hand, slapping his palm, closing his fingers over it as if he was giving him something. He turned and walked towards the shadows, speaking over his shoulder. "It comes now, drawn with ravenous hunger to the man what bears the black spot."

Jack lifted his closed fist, both of us staring as he slowly opened it, revealing umarred skin. He lets out a small chuckle that dies in his throat only a second later, the both of us watching in morbid fasanation as a black mass encased his palm. He hastilly closed it again, jerking his head towards where he had last seen Bill. I followed his gaze and gasped in surprise. He was gone.

A frightened look settled on Jacks features, and he looked around almost helplessly, before grabbing my arm and running up the stairs.

"On deck, all hands! Make fast the bunt gasket! On deck! Scurry!" We made it up the stairs, and he turned, runnnig through the crews sleeping quarters. "Scurry! I want movement! Movement! I want movement!"

Bodies fell from various hammocks and make-shift beds as the crew members were startled awake. I tripped over one of the fallen bodies and would have joined them on the floor if not for Jacks grip on my arm, pulling me along. We reached the deck, the crew right on our heels, Jack still yelling all the while.

"List the skin up! Keep your loof! Haul those sheets! Run them! Run! Keep running! Run as if the devil himself and itself is upon us!" He let go of my arm and grabbed a piece of cloth from a passing pirate, wrapping it around his hand as he hid behind the mast. Not knowing what to do, I followed, and he turned to me, pulling me beside him. "Not a word to anyone, savvy?"

I nodded and he fumbled with the cloth a bit, before I pushed his hand away and tied it for him. He looked at me, and opened his mouth to say something but was inturrepted by a crew member coming up behind him. "Do we have a heading?"

"Argh!" He spun and faced the portly man. "Run! Land." He ducked down, and the man looked at me curiously as we watched Jack crawl towadrs the other side of the pole. The man was obviously used to Jacks strange behaviour, and he walked around to the other side, waiting for him to come back up.

A startled shout came from Jack as he saw the man in front of him when he stood, and his yell was echoed by him, before the man shook his head. "Which port?"

"I didn't say 'port,' I said 'land.' Any land."

The man was about to retort when I gave a startled screech as a monkey swung by, grabbing the hat off of Jack's head. Since when does he have a monkey on his ship? I shook my head and turned, watching the animal as he came to a stop, Jacks hat in hand. He screeched and Jack hissed back, causing the monkey to throw the hat into the water.

The portly man ran to the side of the boat, yelling out to the crew. "Jack's hat! Bring her about!"

"No, no! Leave it." All movement stopped at these words and they stared at their captain as if had lost his mind. He stared back and waved a hand in the air. "Run." The crew watched silently as Jack hurried out of sight. "Back to your stations, the lot of ya!" The crew scurried back into action and the man, who I assumed was Jack's new first mate considering all that i had just seen, cautiously headed towards the stairs, calling to his captain in a low voice. "Jack?"

"Shh."

I walked up beside him as he leaned towards Jack, casting a look around to make sure the rest of the crew didn't overhear. "For the love of mother and child, Jack, what's coming after us?"

"Nothing." He looked over at me, montioning towards the man. "This is my first mate, Mr. Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs, this is Amelia. She's graciously volunteered to join the crew. Show her the ropes, why don't you."

"But Jack, it be bad luck to have a woman--"

"Nonsense, Mr. Gibbs. I daresay, we are lucky to have her aboard. I'm guessing she'll do just fine." He gave me one last glance, and ducked into his cabin, leaving me with Mr. Gibbs. He gave a resigned sigh and motioned me towards the chaotic crew.

And so began my service aboard the most known pirate ship to sail the Spanish Main. The _Black Pearl_.

* * *

Bah! I don't like re-writing pieces of a movie just to fit in a new character, but sometimes it just has to be done. I tried to vary it a little, as not to rip off the movie completely. This should be the only chapter like this, if not pieces here and there to enter the Will and Eisabeth and whoever else need be. 

If you guys see any mistakes, or have any suggestions, don't be shy!

By the way, I own nothing but Amelia.

Until next time.


	2. Bad Piece of Land

We had been sailing for two days straight; the crew and myself lagging from the lack of sleep. The men had just started to warm up to me, though a few still threw mistrustful glances my way every now and then. It was on the eve of the third night that one of the men approached me; Johnny I learned his name was.

He leaned against the mast, watching me fumble with some ropes. "Been sailin' long, miss?"

"For about three days now."

"Looks that way, though it don't sound like it."

I frowned as the ropes seemed to twist even more in my hands, becoming a tangled mass of knots. Who knew it could be so hard to secure one little rope to a stupid pole? "What do you mean?"

"The things I heard ya say, miss, I never heard before. Frankly, I'm ashamed of myself for not thinkin' of somea the things ya do." He laughed and a faint blush stained my cheeks. Before I came up with something to say, Mr. Gibbs came up from behind me, his gruff voice startling me. "He givin' ya trouble, lass?"

"No. We were just discussing the proper way for a girl to take two blokes at the same time. Care to share your thoughts, Mr. Gibbs?"

He looked at me wide-eyed for a moment, then turned and walked away, muttering about "devil women" and such. Johnny laughed and gave me a wink before taking the ropes from my hands, securing them properly. I smiled my thanks and he nodded before walking away, off to finish his own task. I was beginning to think I'd like it on this ship.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~

I take it back. I hate it.

Pirates are nothing but vile, dispicable creatures. Is it really so hard to maybe NOT get slobbering drunk for one night? I mean, really. For three nights now I've had to listen to them sing about rotten eggs and watch them be 'manly'. Like knowing who can spit the furthest is manly?

Well, they did let me stay aboard the ship instead of throwing me overboard or something. I guess that counts for something. Maybe they're not so bad after all.

Oh, I'm so confused.

"They're really not a bad lot, these guys. They've always been loyal. I'd trust 'em with my life. Well, some of 'em anyway."

"Is that really so wise, Captain Sparrow? To trust a pirate?" I looked over to see him mimicking my position, his weight leaning on his arms, leaning over the side of the ship. The only difference was a bottle of rum in his left hand.

"Do you not trust me, luv?"

"You haven't given me a reason not to."

"And neither have they." He took a swig from the bottle, then offered it to me.

I smiled as I accepted the drink. "Trying to get me drunk, Captain Sparrow?"

He said nothing, watching as I took a drink. The rum burned my throat as it went down, and he laughed as I started coughing. "Shut up."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~

I threw my head back with a laugh. "Oh, really?" My eyebrow raised and Jack smiled, taking another swig from the bottle. We had been sitting here for two hours now, drinking and laughing about nothing.

"Really."

"I think all that rum is finally getting to you, Captain."

"Nonsense. I could outdrink a fish." He moved to take another drink as if to prove his statement and he drew back with a confused look. "Oh. I guess its gone then." He turned the bottle upside down and I laughed again.

"Nope. Not drunk at all."

"Land ho!"

We both looked up at the yell, before exchanging glances and clambering to our feet. Jack ran up to the crows nest, gesturing for the man on watch to throw down the spy glass. "Jack." He looked at me, fumbling with the spy glass as he caught it. "There's no need for that. Just look."

He looked to where I was pointing, smiling when he spotted the island about a half mile in. "It looks like our luck is changing then, aye?"

"It would seem so."

~x~x~x~x~x~x~

Twenty minutes later, the Pearl was ashore and tied down, the men not straying too far from the ship and looking towards the woods nervously. I was sitting with Johnny when Gibbs approached Jack, and I leaned a bit closer to hear what was being said.

"We picked a bad spot of land to be on, Jack. This is where the Pelegostos are. I've heard right nasty things about them. We'd be in a load of trouble if we ran into them."

"Well then we best not go looking for them, now should we?"

"We don't have to go looking. Just being on their land is bad enough. What's so bad that we need to be here?"

"Some things are better left unsaid, Gibbs." Jack walked off, catching my eye as he did, and I frowned at his sour expression. It was gonna be a long night.

~x~x~x~x~x~x~

"AMBUSH! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" I jolted up and saw chaos around me, the crew in battle with a bizarre group of people, most with body paints and bones sticking through various part of their bodies. Jack ran up, and shoved me towards the cargo hold, shielding me from the fight. "Go hide, and no matter what, don't let them find you."

"What? What do I do?"

"Nothing! Just hide! We'll do what we can to get back, just don't get caught! Now go!" He shoved me into the darkened room, and slammed the door shut. All those days and nights hiding from him before helped, since I knew what spots were flawed and I pushed an empty barrel into a hidden nook in the back, putting a few crates in front of it to be safe before climbing in. I didn't know if they would search the ship for anything, or how good of a job they'd do, but I hoped they wouldn't come this far back.

It wasn't too long after I hid that the yelling died down, but I could still hear footsteps above deck. I didn't know who had won, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I would wait until Jack yelled for me, or I was discovered by the islanders. Either way, I was staying put.


	3. A Key

It was morning when I heard him yelling. "Jack! Jack Sparrow! Marty! Cotton! Anybody?!" I didn't recognize his face but if he knew Marty and Cotton as well as Jack, he must be on our side. Right? I climbed down the side of the ship quiet as I could, landing behind him. "They were taken."

He spun quickly, almost falling in his haste. "Taken? By who? Who are you?"

"I don't know really. The islanders. We were ambushed after we came ashore. Jack made me hide before they saw me."

"Do you know where they are?"

I shook my head, "No. But they went that way." I pointed towards the forest and he eyed me warily.

"I'm not sure I should trust you. For all I know, you're with the people that took them."

"I don't know or trust you either, but we're all each other has got right now, aren't we?"

He sighed and looked me up and down. "True. I'm Will."

"Will? Will Turner? I've heard a lot about you. And Ms. Swann. I'm Amelia."

He turned and started walking towards the woods, leaving me to follow behind him. "Can't say I've heard much about you."

"I haven't been around very long. Only a few days on the Pearl before we ended up here."

"Bit of bad luck on your part, isn't it?"

"A bit."

Branches rustled and a bird landed beside us, causing us both to cry out at the same time. Will walked towards Cotton's parrot. "Ah, a familiar face!"

"Awk! Don't eat me!"

He gave the bird a weird look. "I'm not going to eat you."

"Don't eat me!"

He looked at me and gave a frown. "That can't be good."

I shook my head, a little worried and looked back towards the ship. I wasn't sure I should go with him. I wasn't really good at fighting, and the people that he was looking for knew what they were doing. So I told him. "The people you're looking for- they're pretty uncivilized. I don't think you'll have a chance against them. I mean, they overpowered the whole crew."

"I don't have a choice. I have to find Jack. My fiance's life depends on it."

I shifted my weight from from foot to foot and sighed. "I want to help you, I do, but I'll be pretty useless in there."

He nodded, and turned to walk into the woods again.

"Good luck!" I watched until I couldn't see him anymore, then turned back to the Pearl. Best get started preparing for cast off, 'cause I had a feeling we'd need a speedy getaway.

* * *

I had only been working for a few hours before I heard voices once again. I abandoned the ropes I was working with and crouched down, trying not to be seen as I crept closer to the railing to get a good look. There were two of them, and definitely not islanders, but that still didn't mean I could trust them.

The first one was short, barely as tall as me, and heavy set, with a thick beard and a mostly balding head, save for the long unkempt hair in the back. The second man was tall and skinny, with short brown hair and what looked to be a fake eye.

Baldy ran up and caressed the ropes that were keeping the Pearl grounded. "Its ours for the taking!"

Stick-man looked back at the water, before chiming in. "Tides coming in, that should help. An' salvaging is saving, in a manner of speaking."

"There's the truth of it!"

I watched as they conversed, trying to think up a plan before they climbed aboard, and started when I heard the drums. That didn't sound very promising.

Stick-man shifted nervously. "Suppose we better save it as soon as we can, what with our souls in such a vulnerable state and all."

"Amen to that!" Baldy quickly crossed himself and they both began to climb.

I still didn't have a very good plan. I looked around and spotted an empty rum bottle and grabbed it. Better than nothing. Baldy made it over first, and I slammed the bottle down on his head, causing him to fall forwards. "What'd you go and do that for, wench?!"

"Wench?!" I hit him again, and he grabbed his head. "I'm no wench!"

He threw his hands up as his buddy made it over, tripping himself in the process. "All right! Still no need to be so violent!"

"Says the man with the intent to steal my ship!"

Stick-man spoke up at that, brushing himself off as he stood. "Your ship? This here's the Black Pearl. Ain't no woman Cap'n of the Pearl."

"That may be, but I happen to know the captain of this ship, and neither you or baldy here are him, so as far as I'm concerned, this ship isn't going anywhere til he gets back."

The drumming picked up in speed, and the two guys looked at each other nervously. "This island ain't the best place to be. Especially when those drums are goin'. Best chance yous got, is to help us get ready to sail, or all of us is gonna end up dead. Got it?"

"Fine, but we're not casting off til everybody gets back." 

* * *

"Haul loose the mooring line! The mooring line!"

I strained to pull the ropes where they needed to be, beyond irritated at the man on board with me. For a pirate, he really was useless. He was currently chasing that damned monkey, moaning about his eye.

"Thief! Little hairy thief! Give it back!" He dove, just barely missing the monkey, and it jumped on the side railing, inspecting the eye before putting it in his mouth. "Don't bite it!"

"The mooring line!"

Ragetti, as I learned his name was, ran to the side of the boat, leaning over to yell. "He's got me eye! He won't give it back!"

"How'd you get it back last time?" Pintell grunted, tugging on the rope he held and jumped when Gibbs ran up behind him, slapping him on the shoulder. They escaped! "Excellent! Our works half done!"

"We done it for you, knowing you'd be back!"

Gibbs ignored him, yelling out to the rest of the crew that was running up to the ship. "Make ready to sail boys!"

Will, who I was glad to see made it back, began to protest. "What about Jack? I won't leave without him."

"OI!" We all looked down the beach and saw Jack emerge from the woods. "Speak of the devil." I muttered, and Will smiled, seeming relieved. A few seconds later, what looked to be the whole village of the islanders emerged as well.

His smile disappeared, and he made towards the ship. "Time to go." Talk about a change of attitude.

"Cast off these lines! Make ready to cast off!"

With the rest of the crew back and helping, we had the Pearl in the water in record time, Jack having to swim out to catch us. He grabbed hold of the ladder on the side of the ship and hoisted himself up, stopping midway to yell back to his once captors. "This, my children, is the day you will always remember, as the day you ALMOST caught-" A swell of a wave drenched him, cutting him off, and I had to laugh at the dejected look on his face. "Captain Jack Sparrow."

The villagers watched us sail away, yelling as we got farther out. Can't say I was too sorry for 'em. I smiled at Jack as he climbed on board, and he nodded at me. "All right, love?"

"Yeah, I'm alright."

"Good." He wrung out his clothes, and Gibbs hurried up to him, looking back towards the shore. "Lets put some distance between us and this island an' head out to open sea."

"Yes to the first, yes to the second, but only insofar as we keep to the shallows as much as possible."

"That seems a bit contradictory, Cap'n."

"I have every faith in your reconiciliatory navigational skills, Mister Gibbs. Now where is that monkey? I want to shoot something."

"Jack!" We all turned as Will pushed his was through the crew, making his way over. "Jack, Elizabeth's in danger."

"Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her, maybe lock her up somewhere?"

"She is locked up, bound to hang because of you!"

I gasped, grabbing Jacks arm. "Jack, just listen! If you had anything to do with the predicament she's in, you can at least hear him out!"

He looked down at me and sighed, rolling his eyes. "All right already!"

"I need that compass of yours, Jack. I need to trade it for her freedom."

"I shall make you a deal, William. I'm on a vitally important quest of me own at the moment. You help me, and I'll give you the compass."

"And what quest are you on, exactly?"

"We need to find a key. "

"A key?"

"That's what I said. A key."

"You want me to find...a key?"

Jack pulled the worn paper from his belt, carefully unfolding it and smoothing it out as he talked. "No, you want to find the key, because the finding of this key finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating in your discovering the detecting of a way to save your dolly belle ol' whats her face. Savvy?"

Will looked at the drawing skeptically. "This key is going to save Elizabeth?"

"How much do you know about Davy Jones, William?"

"Not much."

"Then yeah, it's gonna save Elizabeth." He folded the drawing up and handed it to me. "Keep a hold of that, love." He patted my arm and walked off, leaving me and Will standing there alone. "Mister Gibbs! We have a need to travel upriver..."


	4. Tia Dalma

The Pearl rocked gently amongst the shoal, the rhythm of the waves breaking on its sides lulling me into a sense of security. I had gotten used to the motions of the water since I snuck aboard, the stillness of solid ground now seeming foreign to me. The time spent on the island had been very unsettling and I was glad to be back at sea.

I sensed his presence before I felt him sit next to me, settling himself back against the railing and nudging me with his shoulder. "A penny for your thoughts, love."

I smiled at the expression and kept my eyes closed as I answered, enjoying the feel of the sun on my cheeks. "I was just thinking how odd it is that I'm already so accustomed to being at sea. I didn't like the beach. It was too still."

"The feelings of a born pirate, those. We'll make a decent seaman out of you yet."

"Seawoman, you mean."

"Aye. And what a fine one, at that." I opened my eyes, and saw him playing with the cloth that bound his hand. I don't think I was meant to hear that, and I didn't reply, letting him keep his whispered confession to himself.

"Are you worried?"

"'Bout what love?"

I took his hand in my own and unwound the cloth, one eye on his face to judge his reaction. He stayed silent, letting me unwind the cloth, watching me all the while. "This." I ran my finger along the edge of the mark, and he breathed deeply, using his other hand to stop my wandering fingers as he made a fist around the blemish.

"Best not tempt fate, eh?" He took the cloth back from me and fastened it over his palm once again, and stood. "We outghta get a move on if we want to get where we're goin. You comin'?"

"Where _are_ we goin, Jack? You've never said."

"An old friend of mine. Hopefully she can be of help. More than a touch crazy, but usefull none the less."

"Right." I stood, stretching out my sore muscles, and brushed the dirt off of my pants. "Let's go make us a visit, then." 

_

It was quiet as we made our way upriver, the sounds of the paddles dipping through the water the only source of noise. I shifted uncomfotably in the tiny rowboat, and frowned. The forest surrounding the river was making me edgy. It was waiting for something. And I wasn't keen on being around when whatever it was made it's apperance.

Gibbs, Will, Pintell and Ragetti were in the boat with me, following behind Jack and a few other crewman in another. I did my best to ignore the trees and kept my gaze on Jack. Even if he was a ways ahead, just knowing he was a short swim away was comforting.

"Why is Jack afraid of the open ocean?" Gibbs looked at me, and I stayed silent, ignoring the question as it wasn't my place to answer, and Gibbs sighed heavily turning his attention back to Will. "There's a beast that they say does the bidding of Davy Jones. A fearsome beast with giant tentales that'll suction your face clean off and drag an entire ship down to the crushing darkness. _The Kraken_." He shuddered, looking at Will omniously as he continued. "Imagine the last thing you know on Gods green earth is the roar of the kraken, and the reeking odor of 1,000 rotting corpses. I mean, if you believe such things."

"And the key will spare him that?" 

Gibbs shrugged. "Now, that's the very question Jack wants answered. Bad enough even to go visit..._her_."

"You know who he's seeing then?" All eyes turned to me, and I blushed. "What? Like none of you are curious?"

"Aye, I know her, lass. Not one you want to anger, she ain't, so watch yerselves. But give her no trouble, and it'll be fine."

We traveled a while longer, and it was dark by the time we stopped by a lone cabin. Jack turned at the door, looking back as we all climbed out of the boats and onto the small porch. "No worries mates. Tia and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseperable, we are. Were. Have been, Before." He trailed off with a weird look on his face.

"I'll watch yer back." Gibbs clapped him on the shoulder and Jack leaned down a bit, lowering his voice. "It's me front I'm worried about."

I worked my way up to him, following him in, with the rest of the men behind us, leaving poor Cotton to mind the boats by himself. I gripped Jacks hand as we made our way further into the tiny cabin, doding hanging containers filled with...well, I wasn't quite sure and I wasn't in a hurry to find out. The atmosphere inside was worse than out. I'd find no relief from the dark feelings in here.

"Jack Sparrow!"

"Tia Dalma, darling!"

"I always knew the wind was gonne blow ya back to me one day." A dark woman walked up to us, and she stopped short, looking in my eyes. "You can feel dem, can't ya child? Da spirits." I gripped Jack's hand tighter and he down at me questionally, and I shook my head slightly. "Later."

She watched, smirking, "You're a special one, girl. And you! You have a touch of destny about you, William Turner."

"You know me?" 

"You want ta know me." 

Jack stepped in front of her, stopping her before she could reach Will. "There will be no knowing here! We've come for help, and were not leaving without it."

She frowned and turned away, heading towards a small table in the back. "Come. Ya know I demand payment."

"I brought payment." I stepped back to make room for Gibbs to hand him a covered cage and frowned. Surely they didn't? He took the cover off as he pulled out his pistol and the monkey screeched, grabbing at the bars. They did. Well, I guess this was a good a way as any to ditch the thing. "Look! An undead monkey!" He shot it, and smiled as the monkey screeched again, flicking it's tail angrily.

Tia took the cage and opened the hatch, releasing him, as the men cried out, grumbling about how long it took them to catch it. "The payment is fair."

Will ignored the comotion, digging in his pocket for the drawing Jack had given him. "We're looking for this. And what it goes to."

Tia looked up sharply, turning her gaze to Jack. "Da compass you bater from me. It cannot lead you to this?"

Jack threw a quick look my way, then inspected his nails, trying to look nonchalant. "Maybe. Why?"

She threw her head back and laughed, the tense lines leaving her face. "I hear ya. Jack Sparrow does not know what he want. Or do ya?" She looked at me again and winked then sat back in her chair, gesturing towards the drawing. "Your key go to a chest. And it's what lay inside the chest you seek, don't it?"

Gibbs leaned forwards, worming his way inbetween Pintell and Ragetti. "What is inside?"

"Gold? Jewels? Unclaimed properties of a valuable nature?

"Nothing bad I hope."

Tia ignored the both of them and looked to Gibbs. "You know of Davy Jones, yes? A man of the sea. A great sailor until he run afoul of that which vex all men."

"What vexes all men?" Tia smiled at Will, caressing his hand. "What indeed."

Gibbs leaned forward a bit more. "The sea?"

"Sums?"

"The dichotomy of good 'n evil."

Jack scoffed at the three of them. "A woman." 

"A woman. He fell in love." 

"No no no no. I heard it was the sea he fell in love with."

Tia sat back again, throwing her hands up aggitated. "Same story, different versoin. All of which are true. You see it was a woman, as changing and harsh and untamable as the sea. Him never stopped lovng her, but the pain it cause him was too much to live with, but not enough to cause him to die." 

"What exactly did he put into the chest?"

"Him heart."

"Literally or figuativly?"

Pintell shook his head at Ragetti. "He couldn't literally put his heart in a chest." He pause, looking uncertain. "Could he?"

"It was not worth feeling what small fleeting joy life brings and so him carve out him heart, lock it away in a chest, and hide the chest from the world. The key, he keep with him at all times." 

Will stood, turning to Jack, and I shrunk back a little at the look on his face. "You knew this."

"I did not. We didn't know where the key was. Now we do. All that's left is to climb aboard the Flying Dutchman, grab the key, and you go back to Port Royal and save your bonny lass, eh."

Jack turned to leave, laying his hand on the small of my back, pushing me ahead of him.

"Let me see your hand." He stopped, turning back, and started to raise his hand, smiling bitterly as she raised an eyebrow and gave her the hand she asked for, letting her take off the cloth binding.

Gibbs gasped aloud. "The black spot!" He brushed off his chest, spit on the floor and spun, Ragetti and Pintell copying him. Jack rolled his eyes and Tia dropped his hand, walking towards a back room. "I have just the thing." I grabbed the cloth and rewrapped it for him, ignoring everyodys eyes on me. A crashing made them look away, and Tia's voive floated out of the room she disappeared in. "My little beauty, where are you.. Such a long time in such a mess."

She walked back in holding a large jar. "Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but once every 10 years. Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow, and so you will carry land with you."

He took the jar and looked at it doubtfully. "Dirt. This is a jar of dirt."

"Yes."

"Is this jar of dirt going to help?" 

Tia cocked out a hip and scowled. "If you don't want it, give it back."

"No."

"Then it helps."

I stared at the jar, narrowing my eyes. It wasn't normal dirt, I was certain of that. I looked up and Tia clucked at me. "You cannot ignore them forever, child. Da spirits do not like to be ignored."

Jack and Will both frowned at me, and Will looked away first, turning back to Tia. "It seems we have a need to find the flying dutchman." 

She dipped her head once, and grabbed a handful bones, mostly crab claws, and threw them on the table. "A touch of destiny!" She studied them briefly and looked up, smiling. "It seems you have a heading, Jack."


End file.
